R*n Reports

R*n No. 7: The Ice Cream R*n

24th of July 2010

It was hammering down Thursday and Friday and it was with no little apprehension that we started setting the Hash Saturday morning. Not so much worried about getting wet (unlike all the Khmer r*nners, I don't take a mobile phone on the Hash), but I have no intention of getting caught out in a thunderstorm; local papers are currently full of articles about people getting fried by lightning.

Margaux and Sopheak

Anyway, off we went to set the run; this time in an area around Wat Atwea, a new r*n location for us. Not only a new location but, for the first time, we also had two new hares (after some serious black-mailing): Sopheak and Margaux. They were joined, as usual by our still nameless GM, Hole-in-One, Kleenex and the RA, Short Stump.

I guess we will have to do an away Hash to ever get to run on anything more hilly than a molehill. Holland is mountainous compared to the vicinity of Siem Reap. Mind you, just as wet here as when that boy pulled is finger out of the dyke over there. Nevertheless, four of us quickly set the Hash, ably supervised by the GM who, as usual, did bugger all. A spot of excitement when a guy cutting Lotus in a pond showed us one of the biggest leeches I have ever seen. Urrrggghhhhh!!!

Imagine getting zapped by a leech this size!

In the afternoon it was the usual drill: meet at the Victoria Angkor Resort, get everyone on the bus late, head off with half the Hash already half-hammered. Arrive there and explain the markings, again with nobody listening, and have the usual idiots Hashers, who still haven't understood that the Hash is not a race, tear off into the wild blue yonder, shouting "On On' regardless of whether they actually see any flour or not. Followed, as usual, by a cursing yours truly trying hard to keep the pack together.

The GM, wasting time and flour explaining Hash Marks.

Anyhow, it was a fairly short r*n/walk this time round; a needed change from the previous month's half marathon. Temperatures were almost frigid by Cambodian standards and I kept a beady eye out for that threatening thunderstorm. A couple of Hashers took off their shoes at every puddle they came to, but soon gave up once the trail turned into one gigantic puddle.

The walkers. Lead, as usual, by our best runner, Kleenex.

I really need to bring along a waterproof notebook to write down all the transgressions, and boy were there many. Mobile phones, spillage, new or inappropriate footwear, sex on the Hash, shopping, all the way to one guy trying to trade punches with the RA. There is one on every Hash.

It was wet!

The Beer Halt was in the middle of nowhere. I had found a nicer place for it, but the GM objected as that particular spot was flanked by a primary school and a Wat. Not sure what the problem was: the Monks are in the news everyday for drinking, gambling, and taking secret photos of women taking a bath, and the kids should learn the pleasures of a cold brew early on anyway. The circle was at Wat Atwea, a really beautiful spot, and no Apsara Authority anywhere. Good thing they always p*ss off early and did not try and extract USD 20.00 out of the Barangs. A visiting sex tourist Hasher, Over Easy, tried to get some singing going, but most of the pack were more into the beer.

They were much better suited to the prevailing conditions.

The evening finished up at the "One Star" Restaurant. I know, a bit of an unfortunate name but actually a lot of fun. The beer is cold and the service is outstanding, which might have something to do with the fact that the co-owner is the Chef of the Victoria Angkor;-) Some people got hammered, some people danced, and some people got VERY close; though names shall never be mentioned (basically because I can't remember them).

Try and put a stamp between these two....

And that was another Hash out of the way. The RA couldn't get enough and crawled onto the bus early the next morning to join the Phnom Penh Hash House Harriers, but that is a different story all together.

On On, and see you at the next Hash.